The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince

BOOK 1 - WINTERWomen came and went about the square, smiling hi at the old weavers, who had brought their looms out, to work under the pale November sun. Past them, they ignored the compliments from the hunters, having their beer at one of the corners.No boys in sight. Good. Maybe I’d be able to go get water from the well and be back to Teah’s place without incidents. Just in case, I tugged my sleeves further down and tightened the shawl wrapped around my head, to hide my white hair and as much of my pale face and my purple eyes as possible.I breathed deep, eyes ahead on the well, and pressed on. But it didn’t matter how much I covered myself. The voices all around soon turned to hostile whispering. That was why I always tried to come to the well at sunrise, when I didn’t come across anybody. But Teah had used all her water on her tests, and she needed more, so there I was, with her two empty buckets, forced to expose my oddities to the whole village. Like I’d chosen to be as I am,

I knew what he was seeing and smelling: the very image of his sworn enemies.Never minding my own tears, I forced my shaky hands to undo the collar of my dress. I pulled it open, closed my eyes and let my head back, offering my throat as the only sign I could think of to show him I knew my life was in his hands.The wolf kept growling for a moment longer. I didn’t move. Then, to my utter surprise, he turned around and leaped away into the woods.Going back to Teah’s place took me forever, because my leg hurt so bad I needed to stop every few steps. At least there were no boys guarding the access to the village.The shortest way took me near my father’s smith workshop, right by the house he shared with his wife and my stepsiblings. There was a big dog laying outside the workshop closed door, and it barked as soon as it smelled me.I hid in the alley across the street and peaked out. I recognize Van’s shepherd dog, and a moment later, Van himself hurried out of the workshop with my step

The village square was surrounded by torches burning in the winter night. Nobody cared about the cruel cold frosting the thick layer of snow on the streets, and the cleared stone floor of the square around the well. Everybody in the village, myself included, had worn all the warm clothes and cloaks we had to witness the ceremony.Once a year, two nights before the first full moon of the new year, known as the Wolf Moon, all the single girls in the village, between seventeen and twenty, lined up by the well wearing their best dresses. Then, several wolves in human form showed up to pick the three lucky girls who would leave the village. It was one of the rare occasions when wolves openly showed their human forms, and I think that was the true reason why nobody wanted to miss it.The chosen girls moved with the wolves to their castle, at the other side of the Dale, and paired up with a young wolf. They lived a long life full of luxury and happiness in exchange for giving birth to a coup

“Yarrow!”My own cry startled me awake. I was half-sitting, and even though I was still facing the fire, the cold in my chest reminded me I was naked. I lay back down in a hurry, pulling blanket and bearskin up to my nose.I noticed a trace of light from under the edge of the blindfold still covering my eyes. Meaning the other times it’d been night?“Are you well?”The wolf’s whisper startled me again and I curled up under the covers, nodding.“What did you say?”I shook my head, embarrassed.“Say it again.”His whispers now had an edge of authority, the wolf talking to one of his subjects.“Yarrow,” I mumbled.“The flower? What about it?”“You…” I stuttered, trailing off.I heard the rustle of fabric and his next whisper sounded closer to my head, like he’d leaned over me.“Yes?”“You… You smell like yarrow, my lord.”I heard him stiffen up.“Beg your pardon?”He was still talking in whispers, but they lacked any warmth now.“I’m so sorry, my lord. I didn’t mean to. You smell like th

“Yarrow!”My own cry startled me awake. I was half-sitting, and even though I was still facing the fire, the cold in my chest reminded me I was naked. I lay back down in a hurry, pulling blanket and bearskin up to my nose.I noticed a trace of light from under the edge of the blindfold still covering my eyes. Meaning the other times it’d been night?“Are you well?”The wolf’s whisper startled me again and I curled up under the covers, nodding.“What did you say?”I shook my head, embarrassed.“Say it again.”His whispers now had an edge of authority, the wolf talking to one of his subjects.“Yarrow,” I mumbled.“The flower? What about it?”“You…” I stuttered, trailing off.I heard the rustle of fabric and his next whisper sounded closer to my head, like he’d leaned over me.“Yes?”“You… You smell like yarrow, my lord.”I heard him stiffen up.“Beg your pardon?”He was still talking in whispers, but they lacked any warmth now.“I’m so sorry, my lord. I didn’t mean to. You smell like th